Garage Door Safety: What Every Homeowner Needs to Know

Your garage door is the heaviest moving object in your home. A standard two-car door weighs 200 to 400 pounds. When something goes wrong, the consequences can be serious: crushed fingers, broken bones, or worse.

This guide covers the real dangers, the safety features that protect your family, NJ building codes, and what to do in an emergency.

1. Garage Door Injury Statistics

Garage door accidents are more common than most people realize.

• Approximately 30,000 people are injured by garage doors each year in the United States, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC).
• Most injuries involve fingers and hands getting caught between door panels as the door closes.
• Children under 14 account for a disproportionate number of injuries.
• Several deaths occur each year from garage doors falling on people, particularly during spring failure or improper DIY repairs.
• Property damage from falling doors, broken springs, and off-track doors costs homeowners millions annually.

The vast majority of these injuries are preventable with properly maintained safety features and basic awareness.

2. The Danger of Garage Door Springs

How Much Force Are We Talking About?

A torsion spring on a standard two-car door is wound with approximately 200 to 300 foot-pounds of torque. To put that in perspective, that is roughly the same force as a 300-pound weight dropped from one foot. Now imagine that force released in a fraction of a second, in an enclosed space, while you are standing inches away.

What Happens When a Spring Breaks

• The spring unwinds violently. If it is a torsion spring on a shaft, the spring typically stays on the shaft but can crack and send metal fragments flying.
• Extension springs (the kind on the sides of the door) can fly across the garage like a projectile if they do not have safety cables running through them.
• The door becomes dead weight. If it is open when the spring breaks, it can crash down suddenly.
• The loud bang of a breaking spring is often mistaken for a gunshot or explosion.

Safety Cables for Extension Springs

If your door uses extension springs, check whether there are safety cables running through the center of each spring. These cables catch the spring if it breaks, preventing it from becoming a projectile. If your extension springs do not have safety cables, have them installed immediately. This is a critical safety upgrade.

3. Why DIY Spring and Cable Repair Is Dangerous

YouTube videos make garage door spring replacement look straightforward. They leave out the part where one wrong move can send you to the hospital (or worse).

What Can Go Wrong

• Winding bars can slip: Torsion springs are wound with steel winding bars inserted into holes on the winding cone. If a bar slips out, the spring unwinds instantly, and the bar becomes a weapon.
• Wrong spring size: Installing a spring with the wrong wire gauge, length, or inside diameter creates a dangerous imbalance. The door may slam shut or fly open.
• Improper tension: Too much tension and the door flies up uncontrollably. Too little and it crashes down.
• Bottom brackets: The cables attach to brackets at the bottom of the door. These brackets are under extreme spring tension. Never loosen or remove them.
• No safety equipment: Professionals use clamps, locking pliers, and safety gear. Most homeowners do not own the proper tools.

Learn more: Professional Spring Repair Service

4. Safety Features on Modern Doors

Modern garage door openers include several layers of safety protection. If your opener is missing any of these features, it is time for an upgrade.

Photo-Eye Sensors (Required Since 1993)

Two small sensors mounted near the floor on each side of the door opening. They project an invisible infrared beam across the opening. If anything breaks the beam while the door is closing, the door stops and reverses immediately.

This feature has saved countless children, pets, and objects from being crushed. Never disable, bypass, or block your sensors.

Mechanical Auto-Reverse (Required Since 1993)

If the closing door contacts a solid object, it must reverse direction. The opener measures the resistance the door encounters. If the force exceeds the set limit, the door reverses. Test this monthly with a 2x4 board placed on the floor.

Manual Release (Emergency Disconnect)

The red cord hanging from the opener trolley. Pulling it disconnects the door from the opener so you can operate it manually. Essential during power outages. Every member of your household should know where it is and how to use it.

Rolling Code Technology

Each time you press the remote, the opener generates a new encrypted code. This prevents criminals from intercepting and replaying your signal (a technique called "code grabbing"). If your opener uses an older fixed-code remote, it is vulnerable to this attack. Upgrade to a rolling code system.

Timer-to-Close

Automatically closes the door after a preset time (1, 5, or 10 minutes). The door flashes a light and beeps before closing to warn anyone nearby. Prevents the common problem of accidentally leaving the garage door open all night.

Battery Backup

Allows the opener to function during power outages. Important in NJ where storms can knock out power for hours or days. Without battery backup, you must use the manual release to operate the door during an outage.

5. Child and Pet Safety

Children and pets are the most vulnerable to garage door injuries. They are smaller, less aware of danger, and more likely to be in the path of a closing door.

Rules for Families

• Teach children that the garage door is not a toy. Riding the door up or hanging from it can cause serious injury.
• Keep remotes out of reach. Treat the garage door remote like car keys. Do not let young children play with it.
• Mount the wall button at least 5 feet high. This puts it out of reach of small children.
• Never let children run under a moving door. Even with sensors, the door needs a fraction of a second to reverse. A running child can beat the sensor response time.
• Test sensors monthly. Make sure the photo-eye sensors are working by waving a broom through the beam while the door is closing.
• Watch for fingers in the panels. The gaps between door panels can pinch fingers when the door opens or closes. Newer doors have pinch-resistant panel designs. If your door has gaps large enough to fit a child's finger, consider upgrading.

Pet Safety

• Pets (especially cats) may nap near or under the garage door. Always look before closing.
• The sensors should detect most pets, but very small animals may pass under the beam.
• If your pet uses the garage as an entry/exit point, consider a pet door instead of leaving the garage door open.

6. Carbon Monoxide Risks

Carbon monoxide (CO) is an odorless, colorless gas that is produced by any internal combustion engine. It is deadly in enclosed spaces. If your garage is attached to your home, CO is a serious concern.

Common Sources of CO in Garages

• Warming up your car in a closed garage (even with the garage door open, CO can seep into the house)
• Running a portable generator in or near the garage during a power outage
• Using gas-powered lawn equipment, snow blowers, or power tools in the garage
• A gas water heater or furnace located in the garage

How to Protect Your Family

• Never idle a car in a closed garage. Even a few minutes of exhaust in an enclosed space can produce dangerous CO levels.
• Install a CO detector in the room adjacent to the garage (usually a hallway, mudroom, or kitchen). Also install one on each level of your home.
• Keep the door between the garage and the house properly sealed. NJ building codes require this door to be fire-rated and self-closing.
• Never run a generator in the garage. Place it outside, at least 20 feet from any window or door.
• If your CO detector sounds, evacuate immediately and call 911. Do not try to find the source.

7. NJ Building Codes and Requirements

New Jersey follows the International Residential Code (IRC) with state-specific amendments. Here are the key codes that affect garage doors and garages.

Garage Door Opener Safety

• All garage door openers must include both photo-eye sensors and mechanical auto-reverse (UL 325 standard).
• Openers manufactured before 1993 may not meet current safety standards. While existing openers are grandfathered in, upgrading is strongly recommended.

Fire Separation (Attached Garages)

• The wall between an attached garage and the living space must be covered with 1/2-inch drywall (minimum) on the garage side.
• The door between the garage and the house must be a solid wood door (at least 1-3/8 inches thick), a solid or honeycomb-core steel door, or a 20-minute fire-rated door.
• This door must be self-closing (it must close on its own if released).
• No door is permitted between a garage and a sleeping room (bedroom).

Contractor Requirements

• Any garage door contractor performing work over $500 must be registered as a New Jersey Home Improvement Contractor (HIC) with the Division of Consumer Affairs.
• Contractors must carry liability insurance.
• Homeowners have a 3-day right to cancel any home improvement contract.
• Written contracts are required for all work over $500.

Permits

In most NJ municipalities, replacing a garage door on an existing opening does not require a building permit. However, if you are changing the size of the opening, adding a new garage, or performing structural work, a permit is required. Check with your local building department (township or borough hall) before starting major projects.

8. Emergency Procedures

Door Stuck Open

1. Check if the opener is plugged in and the circuit breaker has not tripped.
2. Check the remote batteries.
3. Look at the sensors. Are both lights solid? Clean the lenses and check alignment.
4. Try the wall button. If the wall button works but the remote does not, the remote may need replacement or reprogramming.
5. If nothing works, pull the manual release cord and try to close the door manually. If it will not close manually, a spring or cable may be broken.
6. If you cannot secure the door, call a professional for emergency service. In the meantime, do not leave the garage unattended with the door open (especially overnight).

Door Stuck Closed

1. Check the power supply and remote batteries.
2. Pull the manual release cord and try to lift the door manually.
3. If the door is extremely heavy and will not budge, a spring is likely broken. Do not force it.
4. Call a professional. If you need to get your car out urgently, a technician can manually open the door safely.

Broken Spring (Door May Be Open or Closed)

Door Off Its Track

1. Stop operating the door immediately. Do not press the remote or wall button.
2. Disconnect the opener by pulling the manual release cord.
3. Do not attempt to force the door back on the track. The door could fall.
4. Keep people and pets away from the area.
5. Call a professional. Off-track doors are a common emergency and most companies can respond the same day.

Learn more: Off-Track Repair Service | Cable Repair Service

9. Safety Inspection Checklist

Perform this safety inspection every 6 months. It takes about 15 minutes and could prevent a serious accident.

• Photo-eye sensors: Wave an object through the beam while the door is closing. The door should reverse immediately. ✓ / ✗
• Auto-reverse: Place a 2x4 flat on the ground in the door's path. Close the door. It should reverse when it contacts the board. ✓ / ✗
• Manual release: Pull the red cord. The door should disconnect from the opener and move freely by hand. ✓ / ✗
• Balance test: With the opener disconnected, lift the door halfway. It should stay in place. ✓ / ✗
• Springs: Visually inspect for rust, gaps, or stretching. ✓ / ✗
• Cables: Check for fraying, kinks, or slack. ✓ / ✗
• Extension spring safety cables: If applicable, verify they are installed and intact. ✓ / ✗
• Rollers and tracks: No cracks, chips, or wobbling. Tracks are free of debris. ✓ / ✗
• Bottom seal: No gaps where a child's fingers could get caught. ✓ / ✗
• Wall button height: Mounted at least 5 feet from the floor. ✓ / ✗
• CO detector: Installed and working in the room adjacent to the garage. ✓ / ✗
• Fire door: Self-closing door between garage and house closes fully on its own. ✓ / ✗

If any item fails, address it immediately. Safety features exist for a reason, and they only work if they are maintained.

For detailed maintenance instructions, see our Complete Maintenance Guide.

10. Frequently Asked Questions

Related Guides

• Complete Guide to Garage Door Repair (2026)
• Complete Guide to Garage Door Installation and Replacement
• Complete Guide to Garage Door Openers (2026)
• Complete Guide to Garage Door Maintenance